Samsung's next foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Z Flip, is expected to be shown off in full at the February 11 "Galaxy Unpacked" event. But to tide you over until then, a set of official renders and a full spec sheet have been posted by the German site WinFuture.

The pictures show a phone that shares a lot of DNA with Samsung's first foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold. Just like on the Fold, there's a raised bezel around the edge. On the Fold, this held the display to the body of the device and protected it while it was closed. The bezel was also pretty annoying, though: Android features several edge gestures, and trying to swipe in from the side or bottom of the device is awkward when the bezel isn't flush with the display. We can also see the same T-shaped hinge caps that were added to the second, post-recall version of the Galaxy Fold after it was delayed.

Like the Galaxy Fold, it sounds like the Z Flip is going to have a creased display and close into a wedge shape so it doesn't crush the display crease. WinFuture lists two thickness dimensions for when it's closed: 15.3mm and 17.3mm, which would be the tall and short side of the wedge. Several pictures show the phone in an L shape, like a tiny little laptop. WinFuture's report suggests that Samsung will pitch this as a way to easily see the phone while it's on a table.

Further Reading

A full spec sheet was posted, and interestingly, the phone features last year's Qualcomm chip, the Snapdragon 855+, instead of the newer Snapdragon 865, which is launching with the other phone that will be shown off alongside the Z Flip, the Galaxy S20. Samsung is Qualcomm's biggest customer, and Samsung phones usually launch with the newest Qualcomm chip, so this is odd.

I can imagine only two scenarios that result in Samsung launching a phone with an old chip. One possibility is that this phone was originally scheduled to come out last year—perhaps alongside the Galaxy Note 10 in August—and was delayed to 2020 after the problems with the Galaxy Fold.

A second possibility: the Snapdragon 865, with its separate 4G/5G modem, might not be a good fit for a phone with a 3300mAh battery. Both a separate modem in the Snapdragon 865 and the mandatory inclusion of 5G should make the chip use more power than last year. Samsung's Galaxy S20 line is rumored to be bigger than last year and have across-the-board battery size increases as a result. This is all speculation at this point, but the bigger bodies and batteries might be a necessity to get decent battery life out of the Snapdragon 865. Cutting the phone in half with a giant hinge means there isn't as much room for a battery.

Besides the Snapdragon 855+, we have a 6.7-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2636x1080. Instead of the delicate plastic of the Galaxy Fold, the Z Flip is rumored to be covered by an "Ultra Thin Glass." We know companies are working on flexible glass for these folding smartphone displays. The industry leader is Corning, the maker of the "Gorilla Glass" cover that adorns nearly every high-end smartphone, but Corning's bendable glass solution is not on the market yet. One report out of Germany is that Samsung's partner is Schott, a German glass producer.

A smooth, hard, durable (relatively speaking) glass cover would be a big deal, since a negative of the Galaxy Fold was the delicate, squishy plastic display cover. The Moto Razr, Samsung's folding flip-phone rival, is in the same plastic-covered boat as the Galaxy Fold, and Motorola recently warned that "bumps and lumps are normal" in the display.

The spec sheet lists 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, a 3300mAh battery, a single 10MP front camera, and two rear cameras, one main and one ultra-wide. As we've seen in pictures, there's a tiny front display, which measures just 1.06 inches with a resolution of 300×116.

XDA's Max Weinbach, who recently scored live pictures of the Galaxy S20, says the phone will cost $1,400, which would be right in line with the Moto Razr. We'll know more on February 11.

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Ron Amadeo
Ron is the Reviews Editor at Ars Technica, where he specializes in Android OS and Google products. He is always on the hunt for a new gadget and loves to rip things apart to see how they work. Emailron@arstechnica.com//Twitter@RonAmadeo

I have to chuckle a little at the lumps and bumps being normal thing. Does anyone really think that's going to make end users OK with a lumpy screen?! I'm definitely not getting on the folding train any time soon for cost reasons, if nothing else, but that's just got to change, too. As it is, I get annoyed enough when I get a drip of coffee or something on my screen!

I mean, unless someone is really hurting for pocket space - I don't quite see how this would appeal to anyone. I mean, wouldn't getting a regular smartphone be better? No worries about your screen - such as dust getting under the fold, or that fold crease. The Galaxy fold at least made sense in that it potentially became a tablet-like device. This thing basically becomes a regular smartphone.....with double the bulk for a small space savings.

Dual screen phones are amazing and I've been using the Axon M since 2018. But the folding screen part is just so costly and unnecessary.I just don't think that my next upgrade is going to go from $179 currently on amazon to 1400$

I mean, unless someone is really hurting for pocket space - I don't quite see how this would appeal to anyone. I mean, wouldn't getting a regular smartphone be better? No worries about your screen - such as dust getting under the fold, or that fold crease. The Galaxy fold at least made sense in that it potentially became a tablet like device. This thing basically becomes a regular smartphone.....with double the bulk for a small space savings.

Right now? No I don't think I'd be interested. Too much is unproven and experimental, but if/when this tech matures I'd love to have a device that folds closed around its most delicate component and takes up half the footprint in my pocket.

This is so much more attractive as a form factor than the Fold. I've really missed having phones that don't monopolize my entire pocket when not in use.

Yeah I can't wait to toss keys and coins into the same pocket as my $1400 easily-scratchable phone.

Oh yeah because a screen folded into the middle of a clamshell is so fragile.

Look, it isn't there yet, but flip phones were the dominant trend for a long time before touch screens killed them. If someone can make a full-screen device that folds and doesn't have too many compromises, we'll see folding phones once again, because they are way better than candy bars as a form factor.

I mean, unless someone is really hurting for pocket space - I don't quite see how this would appeal to anyone.

A lot of us are hurting for pocket space. I'm a grumpy old man when it comes to new tech, but I desperately want this idea to make it. I expect the first ones to suck, and accept that. But I've started resorting to some truly ridiculous cases and man-purses and other solutions because smartphones are a bitch to carry around.

The possibilities folding tech allows for are fascinating. At the outset, I want a screen that folds up as small as this device but can be unfolded to the size of an old-style paper map for the express purpose of running Google Maps from the passenger seat of a car. Bonus if it can take up half the windshield real-estate while we use it.

Missing render: from the side when it's closed. Probably because it's horrible from that view.

I hate the not-fully closed wedge. They need to make it fold flat. One slight difference here (vs. the Fold) is that you don't actually use this one in the folded state so it's generally open when it's in your hand.

Is it weird that they don't have any front display at all?

[edit: I should RTFA, it does have a small front display, just not shown in these renders]

Missing render: from the side when it's closed. Probably because it's horrible from that view.

I hate the not-fully closed wedge. They need to make it fold flat. One slight difference here (vs. the Fold) is that you don't actually use this one in the folded state so it's generally open when it's in your hand.

Is it weird that they don't have any front display at all?

Probably because it's as thick as two smartphones on top of each other (way to thick imo).

I mean, unless someone is really hurting for pocket space - I don't quite see how this would appeal to anyone.

A lot of us are hurting for pocket space. I'm a grumpy old man when it comes to new tech, but I desperately want this idea to make it. I expect the first ones to suck, and accept that. But I've started resorting to some truly ridiculous cases and man-purses and other solutions because smartphones are a bitch to carry around.

Yep, I still carry my ancient Samsung flip phone around a lot of the time instead of my Moto G5 Plus, because it fits easily in my pocket and is much more rugged.

In a few years when these foldables are decent and much cheaper they will be my ideal phone.

I'm way more interested in a wonky open source phone that has terrible battery life and hardly works than I am in being able to fold my phone in half. But in 10 years, maybe the tech will be common place and I can fold out a 24" monitor from a 6" device. That could be cool.

in my opinion these phones should still be considered first gen for the moment and should be treated/reviewed as such. I'm damn glad that manufacturers are trying something new, and can only hope they don't get discouraged by overly harsh reviewers who don't understand this. these fold-able phones are not for everybody. i'm still pissed at how reviewers pushed so damn hard to get phones with glass backs because plastic didn't feel premium enough...

I mean, unless someone is really hurting for pocket space - I don't quite see how this would appeal to anyone. I mean, wouldn't getting a regular smartphone be better? No worries about your screen - such as dust getting under the fold, or that fold crease. The Galaxy fold at least made sense in that it potentially became a tablet-like device. This thing basically becomes a regular smartphone.....with double the bulk for a small space savings.

not getting it either. there is am elegance in not having to flip your open to use it.

I mean, unless someone is really hurting for pocket space - I don't quite see how this would appeal to anyone. I mean, wouldn't getting a regular smartphone be better? No worries about your screen - such as dust getting under the fold, or that fold crease. The Galaxy fold at least made sense in that it potentially became a tablet-like device. This thing basically becomes a regular smartphone.....with double the bulk for a small space savings.

not getting it either. there is am elegance in not having to flip your open to use it.

I'd say there's a hell of a lot more elegance to a phone that doesn't leave its most damage-prone component exposed 100% of its existence.

This is so much more attractive as a form factor than the Fold. I've really missed having phones that don't monopolize my entire pocket when not in use.

It looks like it’s half as tall, but twice as thick as a typical phone. For me personally, the added thickness would be much more noticeable in my pocket. I suppose if you had more shallow pockets this form factor would be nice though.

This is so much more attractive as a form factor than the Fold. I've really missed having phones that don't monopolize my entire pocket when not in use.

It looks like it’s half as tall, but twice as thick as a typical phone. For me personally, the added thickness would be much more noticeable in my pocket. I suppose if you had more shallow pockets this form factor would be nice though.

Doesn't look any thicker than an average leather wallet, and I never had issues with those.

The folding glass bit is the only interesting thing about this phone. Does anyone really want to take a normal phone and fold it in half for something twice as thick? Now, put foldable glass and a Motorola-style non-creasing teardrop hinge on phone the size of a chunky Galaxy Note that folds out into an eight inch 4:3 screen and I'll get super interested.

I'm way more interested in a wonky open source phone that has terrible battery life and hardly works than I am in being able to fold my phone in half. But in 10 years, maybe the tech will be common place and I can fold out a 24" monitor from a 6" device. That could be cool.

The folding glass bit is the only interesting thing about this phone. Does anyone really want to take a normal phone and fold it in half for something twice as thick? Now, put foldable glass and a Motorola-style non-creasing teardrop hinge on phone the size of a chunky Galaxy Note that folds out into an eight inch 4:3 screen and I'll get super interested.

Mass market flip phones marketed as "thin" (e.g. the OG V3 RAZR) were regularly this thick. I can't recall anyone demanding they thin them further. I'm not sure anyone wanted the 8-9mm thick phones common today. The ergonomics suffer for the fashion.

The only phones I recall being legitimate bricks were some of the early smartphones pitched by Nokia, Palm and HTC.

I'm not sure anyone wanted the 8-9mm thick phones common today. The ergonomics suffer for the fashion.

I tend charitably to assume that thickness has declined in order to keep volume, and therefore weight, closer to what it traditionally was. So bigger screens has implied thinner phones.

Like some others here, I will likely be a big fan of a folding phones such as this one once the first generation glitches are ironed out, and assuming they also become available from other manufacturers as Samsung as I'm not a fan of their software. My phone spends the vast majority of its life in my pocket and it'd be nice if it weren't such a slab.

I mean, unless someone is really hurting for pocket space - I don't quite see how this would appeal to anyone. I mean, wouldn't getting a regular smartphone be better? No worries about your screen - such as dust getting under the fold, or that fold crease. The Galaxy fold at least made sense in that it potentially became a tablet-like device. This thing basically becomes a regular smartphone.....with double the bulk for a small space savings.

not getting it either. there is am elegance in not having to flip your open to use it.

I'd say there's a hell of a lot more elegance to a phone that doesn't leave its most damage-prone component exposed 100% of its existence.

My phone lives in my pocket when it’s not in my hand being used. The glass screen has no visible scratches, and likely won’t two years into its life if my previous devices are anything to go by.

You’re fretting over “the most damage-prone component,” but in the case of the foldable Galaxy phones, it’s the most damage-prone because all durability was thrown out the window to make it fold.

I’m intrigued by this form-factor, but foldable screens have a long way to go before they’re durable enough (and affordable).

I mean, unless someone is really hurting for pocket space - I don't quite see how this would appeal to anyone. I mean, wouldn't getting a regular smartphone be better? No worries about your screen - such as dust getting under the fold, or that fold crease. The Galaxy fold at least made sense in that it potentially became a tablet-like device. This thing basically becomes a regular smartphone.....with double the bulk for a small space savings.

not getting it either. there is am elegance in not having to flip your open to use it.

I'd say there's a hell of a lot more elegance to a phone that doesn't leave its most damage-prone component exposed 100% of its existence.

Adding ingress points and mechanical components don't make the phone less damage prone.

I mean, unless someone is really hurting for pocket space - I don't quite see how this would appeal to anyone. I mean, wouldn't getting a regular smartphone be better? No worries about your screen - such as dust getting under the fold, or that fold crease. The Galaxy fold at least made sense in that it potentially became a tablet-like device. This thing basically becomes a regular smartphone.....with double the bulk for a small space savings.

not getting it either. there is am elegance in not having to flip your open to use it.

I'd say there's a hell of a lot more elegance to a phone that doesn't leave its most damage-prone component exposed 100% of its existence.

My phone lives in my pocket when it’s not in my hand being used. The glass screen has no visible scratches, and likely won’t two years into its life if my previous devices are anything to go by.

You’re fretting over “the most damage-prone component,” but in the case of the foldable Galaxy phones, it’s the most damage-prone because all durability was thrown out the window to make it fold.

I’m intrigued by this form-factor, but foldable screens have a long way to go before they’re durable enough (and affordable).

A fact I've already clearly acknowledged repeatedly. I do not want any of this current crop of foldable devices, but I do want one when they iron out the (sometimes literal) kinks.

I mean, unless someone is really hurting for pocket space - I don't quite see how this would appeal to anyone. I mean, wouldn't getting a regular smartphone be better? No worries about your screen - such as dust getting under the fold, or that fold crease. The Galaxy fold at least made sense in that it potentially became a tablet-like device. This thing basically becomes a regular smartphone.....with double the bulk for a small space savings.

not getting it either. there is am elegance in not having to flip your open to use it.

I'd say there's a hell of a lot more elegance to a phone that doesn't leave its most damage-prone component exposed 100% of its existence.

Adding ingress points and mechanical components don't make the phone less damage prone.

Depends on how well-designed your mechanical components are. I never saw an original Razr hinge fail.

in my opinion these phones should still be considered first gen for the moment and should be treated/reviewed as such. I'm damn glad that manufacturers are trying something new, and can only hope they don't get discouraged by overly harsh reviewers who don't understand this.

Disagree. The phone needs to be treated and reviewed as what it is... a phone that will be used daily, perhaps heavily. We should know all the pros and cons, whether there's any benefits to the form factor, and if it's worth the current price premium. We already know that isn't the case with the Fold, and that's a good thing to know. Manufacturers aren't going to stop because of one bad review (because their next iteration at that point is already in development, anyway). If anything, a harsh review is better because it helps the manufacturer pinpoint exactly what they need to improve on so that on the second, third, or fourth iteration, they'll finally get it right and it'll be worth owning.

Think about it... if all of the tech reviewers that got the first release of the Fold and shrugged their shoulders at failing devices, we'd have another Note 7 situation on our hands.

Also, keep in mind that "new", even in an industry that's been fairly stagnant concerning form factor, doesn't necessarily mean "good". Foldables may never find utility in the smartphone space. The whole TV industry tried 3D for a while, and Samsung even tried curved TV displays (who knows what they were thinking there). Both were innovations, and both were duds.